Mary Oliver's latest collection is called Evidence [811.54 OLI], it is her 19th book of poetry. Let me list a few of the subjects of her poems: mockingbirds, swans, sparrows, wolves, a river, the moon, grass, water, violets, etc. Oliver's deep respect for the natural world is evident throughout, yet she also deals with human concerns such as a trip to Mexico, the loss of loved ones, and poetry.
Some might find these poems sentimental or trifling, but many of them speak to me. Perhaps because I'm getting older? Taking less for granted? Becoming more aware of how human beings are driven by greed? Realizing how little I've accomplished? All of the above? If I keep on, I'll be weeping over the D I got on my geometry mid-term in high school! How about I simply share a favorite poem?
A LESSON FROM JAMES WRIGHTLaura Salas is hosting the Poetry Friday Round-Up for this week. Stop by!
If James Wright
could put in his book of poems
a blank page
dedicated to "the Horse David
Who Ate One of My Poems," I am ready
to follow him along
the sweet path he cut
through the dryness
and suggest that you sit now
very quietly
in some lovely wild place, and listen
to the silence.
And I say that this, too,
is a poem.
3 comments:
I adore just about everything that Mary Oliver does. Such simple words and phrases always combine to make me go "wow" and then sigh with deep contentment.
Very sweet. I am going to try to do this sitting quietly in a wild place very soon. Thanks!
Oh, I love this! And I'm off to a writing retreat in the woods today and am printing out this poem to take with me. Thank you.
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